Device for overcoming dead-centers.



A. T. PETERSON.

DEVICE FOR OVERGOMING DEAD CENTERS.

APPLIOATION PILED JAN. 3. 1913.

1 ,084,821 Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

A'UoUs'r r. rnr'nson, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DVICE ron ovnnooume DEAD-centrum.

Speoiflcatio of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 8, 1918. Serial No. 740066.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

'To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST T. PETERsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imp'rovements in Devices for Overcoming Dead-Centers, of which the following is a speci'fication.

This inven'tion relates to improvements in devices for'overcoming dead centers in crank shafts, crank wheels, etc., and is* es ecially designed for use upon driven crank s afte. The prima'ry obect of the invention resides in the provision of a deyice of this nature, whichmay be easily and quickly adjusted so' as to vary the tension of the spring which exerts its pressure' upon the fly-wheel.

Another and more specific object of the y invention is to provide a deviceof this nature, including a convolute spring, a plurality of spiral springs bearing against said convolute spring, and a movable casing to I 17 upon which is monnted a'split block 18.

contain said springs.- i I The invention also aim's to generally improve devices of this nature to' render them more simple, eflicient, useful, and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view, as y will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of Construction, combnation, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a complete Understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following descri tion' and accompanying drawings, in whicii,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention, showing the same connected to a flywheel, Fig. 2 is an edge elevation, Figs; 3 and 4 are views taken upon the planes of lines 3-3 and 4-4, respectively, of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 has the spring omitted.

'Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a crank shaft, 2 the' hearing standards supporting the same, 3 a pulley rigid with the crank shaft, 4 a pitman, and 5 a fly-wheel. These elements are of the usual type and I make no claim to them.

My invention includes an arcuate casing 6 formed of a ring of metal partly broken away, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and cast integral with a base 7. The base s preferably of the same width as the casing and has formed in its lower side a longitudinal is mounted upon one side of the base 7 to mesh with a rack 10, which extends parallel to the track 8, upon one side of said base. A crank arm 11 is employed 'to actuate the gear 9, whereby the casing may be moved longitudinally of the track 8. Oppositely extending pivoted pawls 12 and 13 are mounted upon the base 7 for engagementwith the rack 10, holding the base 7 immovable. Springs 14 retain' the pawls normally n' engag'ement with said rack but a pressure upon the inner ends of the pawls will suflice to raise them from engagement with the rack; .in order that the base may be moved i The two sections of the block are'clamped together by suitable fasteners 19, said fasteners also securing one end of a convolute spring 20. The spring extends partly around the casing 6, as clearly shown in Fig'. 1, and is connected at its other end to a split block 21, by means of suitable festeners 22. The block 21 is mounted upon an eccentric pin 23. formed upon one spoke of A plurality of radially extending guides 24 are formed upon the casing ring 6 and terminate in spaced relationship with the block 18. These uides are formed in pairs, as clearly shown n Figs. 3 and 4, and have their inner surfaces concave so as to retain therebetween expansive spiral 'springs 25. The guides of each pair are spaced from each other to receive the convolute spring 20. This spring extends upwardly from the block 18, then around the casing, essentially parallel to' the inner wall thereof, and is held against lateral movement by the guides 24. The expensive spiral springs 25 bear against the convolute spring 20,' as will be clearly apparent from the drawing. If desired, a fiat metal spring 26 may be Secured to the standard 15 and bear against the convolute spring 20, so as to increase the effect of said spring upon the fly-wheel.

In operation the pitman 4 drives the crank shaft 1 and 'otates the fly-wheel 5, which expands and contracts the convolute spring channel to receive a track 8. A spur gear 9 20. This spring is attached to the fly-wheel so as to force the same over the points of dead center. It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 1, that the free end of the convolute spring will have a tendency to upward and forward novement, the force of which is increased by the action of the spiral springs 25 and flat metal spring 26 that bear against said eonvolute spring. The tension of the convolute spring and also the tension of the spiral sprngs may be suitably adjusted by moving the casing 6 toward or away from the crank shaft 1, it being understood that the track 8 extends at right angles to said shaft. It is to be understood that I may employ any number of these devices and may connect them in different ways to the crank shaft.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to this exact Construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, but may make such changes as will fall within -the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 2- i l. A device for overcoming dead Centers,

comprising a crank Shaft, a fly wheel mounted on said 'crank shaft, a convolute spring adapted to be secured at one end to said flywheel, a support for the other end of'said spring, and a plurality of spiral springs acting against said convolute spring. i,

2. A device for overcoming dead Centers, comprising a crank shaft, a fly wheel mounted on said crank shaft, a convolute spring adapted to be secured at one end toisaid flywheel, a movable support for the other end of said convolute spring, and a plurality of expansive spiral springs acting against the outer surface of said convolute spring.

3. A device for overcoming dead Centers, comprising a crank shaft, a fly wheel mounted on said crank shaft, a convolute spring adapted to be attached at one end to said flywheel, means for supporting the other end of said convolute spring, a casing partly surrounding said spring and provded with a plurality of radially extending guides through which the spring projects, and a plurality of spiral expansive springs'positioned within said guides and hearing against the convolute spring.

el. A device for overcoming dead Centers, comprisin a crank shaft, a fly wheel mounted on saidcrank shaft, an arcuate casing, a plurality of spaced guides extending radially inwardly from said casing, a standard rigid with said casing and terminating centrally thereof, a convolute spring supported upon said standard and extending between said guides, the other end of the spring being adapted to be Secured to said fly-wheel, a plurality of expansive spiral springs bear- 'ing against the exterior surface of said convolute spring, and means whereby said casing may be moved toward or awa from the fly-wheel to adjust the tension of the springs.

5. The combination with a crank shaft and fly-wheel, of a device for overcoming dead centers, comprising an arcuate casing, a base formed inte ral with said casing having a longitudina channel extending entirely therethrough, a track extending at right angles to said crank shaft, means for moving said casing longitudinally of the track, and' a convolute spring Secured at one end within said casing and at its other end to said fly-wheel.

The combination with a crank shaft and fly-wheel, of a track extending at right angles thereto, a casing, a base movable upon said track, a rack, a spur gear journaled upon the base to mesh with the rack, means for actuating said spur gear, whereby the base will be moved, means to lock the base against movement, an arcuate casing formed integral with said base, a convolute spring Secured at one end within said casing and at its other end within said fly-wheel, and additional springs bearing upon said convolute spring.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST 'll PETERSON.`

`Witnesses WM. H. VAN GLAHN, Josnrrr M. DELAP.. 

